


Christmas in Sharance

by RedFez



Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon, Rune Factory 4
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fluff, New Years, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-30
Updated: 2014-12-30
Packaged: 2018-03-04 06:54:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2956529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedFez/pseuds/RedFez
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was only supposed to be there for a flower...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas in Sharance

**Author's Note:**

> This is for [withlove-tiff](http://withlove-tiff.tumblr.com/) over on tumblr as part of the Rune Factory Secret Santa! To be honest, I'd never actually heard of this pairing before now, sooo... I hope you like it!
> 
> Anything that Sherman says that's in italics is his opposite speak - I hope it's not as confusing to read as it was to write.

Despite being a few days before Christmas, and therefore the dead of winter, it was surprisingly warm.  Granted, Sharance in general was warmer than Selphia ever had been, so Dylas wasn't too surprised.  Still, it was winter, and there was snow and ice on the ground.

Not that that would deter the horse-man from his favorite pastime - fishing.  Making sure he had everything with him, he set off from the local inn he was staying at.  Dylas was really only in Sharance at the request of Frey, who had asked if he might be willing to pick up a rare item found only the Sol Terrano Desert (she would have gone herself but she was busy helping Arthur with something, or asked  Raven but Raven had said she would have had no time herself).

Still, he liked the town and seeing more of the world was always something to do.  Even if he wished he was still at home, especially so close to Christmas.

He reached the lake, sitting down and staring out over the gentle waves.  Dylas could clearly see an island resting near the center but he didn't concern himself with that.  It was still early, so none of the town's usual residents were up quite yet, so he planned to savor the calm before the hustle and bustle.  That's what he liked so much about fishing - it was quiet, just you, the water, and the fish.

Standing and casting his line out eventually, he heard the surprised gasp of a woman.  Turning his head to see who exactly was interrupting him, he was met with the sight of a girl wearing the most bizarre winter attire ever.  A tank top and short skirt, both appearing to be trimmed in feathers.  A hat rested atop short green hair, and she had a wild grin on her face as she trotted over.

"You must be the traveller in town from Selphia!" the girl exclaimed, though Dylas noted she wasn't loud enough to actually scare any fish away.

He nodded, switching his gaze back to the fishing line.  "Name's Dylas," he said shortly.

"Dylas, huh?" she asked, gesturing to the pole, "you like fishing?"

He nodded, choosing not to speak.

Glancing at her again, he found this strange woman was positively beaming.  "Me too!  I love fishing," she paused for a moment, "I'm Carmen, by the way.  It's nice to meet you."

He supposed the polite thing to do would be return the sentiment, so he responded, "Good to meet you too."

A short awkward silence.  "Why're you in town?  I mean, Raven could easily -"

"She said she was busy," Dylas cut her off before explaining what was going on.

A slow nod from Carmen.  "That makes sense, kinda.  Though Raven could have asked Micah to help her instead of you being forced to come all the way down here."

Dylas shrugged, not knowing who Micah was.  "Frey asked me to go, so here I am."  He reeled in his line after that, deciding to go fishing another time.  He didn't think Carmen would be leaving anytime soon.

Her face fell as she noticed he was being to pack up, but brightened again as something occurred to her.  "How much longer are you going to be town?" she asked.

He shrugged, "It depends on how long it takes me to get the flower Frey wants."

She nodded.  "Well, don't be a stranger!  My brother, Carlos, and I run that fishing resort over there.  Make sure you stop by there before you leave."

He nodded, not really wanting to but it was a place to fish, so he figured he could at least check it out sometime.

-x-

The rest of the day passed without incidence, Dylas not even setting foot into Sol Terrano quite yet.  He wanted to learn more about the barren wasteland before entering.

He ended up visiting Raven at the blacksmith's, where she gave him a quiet smile before going back to whatever it was she was writing.  Not wanting to interrupt, he looked around the shop for a little while.  At the forge, a dwarf was hard at work.

The building in general reminded Dylas of the blacksmith's back home, though the fact the dwarf here actually worked was new.

Noticing Dylas, the dwarf stopped his work and turned to give him his attention.  "Ah, you must be Dylas," he greeted him, "Raven said you might come here.  I'm Gaius."

Dylas nodded in response.  "You have a nice shop," he answered, "much more put together than the one back home."

Gaius laughed.  "Raven's told me about your shop, run by...how did she put it...'a lazy dwarf - the exact opposite of you.'"

Dylas shrugged, "Bado's not so bad.  He just doesn't like to work."

At that moment, a purple haired girl adorned in the strangest outfit Dylas had ever had the pleasure of seeing, entered the shop.

"Gaius!  Where are you!" she called out.

Dylas looked at Gaius, wondering who the stranger woman was.  Gaius answered the questioning look with, "That's Evelyn, my...girlfriend."

Dylas nodded but Gaius strode away before he could say anything.  At the counter, Raven was still at work, so Dylas decided to take his leave.

He returned to the lake, though he didn't have any of his fishing gear with him.  A man, wearing an outfit just as ill-fitted for winter as Carmen's had been, stood on the sand, a fishing rod in hand.

"Hey," Dylas greeted the stranger.  The man turned to look at him, smiling.  Dylas thought he bore a striking resemblance to Carmen, and wondered if this might be the brother she'd mentioned.  "Are you Carlos?"

The man nodded, reeling in the line so he could talk without distraction.  "Sure am, dude!  How'd you know?"

Dylas shrugged minutely.  "Carmen mentioned you early, and you look - and dress - like her."

Carlos's face darkened slightly, though he kept up the cheery attitude.  "You've met my sister?"

Nodding, Dylas replied, "She was here when I came to fish this morning."  He didn't think there was any problem with that.

The stormy look went away.  "You fish?"

Dylas nodded, slightly taken aback.  "Sometimes, I'm not a professional or anything."

Carlos nodded, looking like he might be contemplating something.  "Well, see you around, bro."  He walked away, leaving Dylas there to try and figure out what that was all about.

-x-

The next day, Dylas left the inn later than the previous day.  Shino smiled at him on his way out and wished him a good day, but otherwise didn't say anything.  Dylas liked that about her, she was friendly but not overly so. 

After stepping outside, he immediately noticed Carmen and Carlos were walking by.  He gave them a hello but, having no plans to actually make conversation, didn't stop.

"Woah, dude, where are you off to?" Carlos asked, in deterred by the taller man's brusqueness.

Dylas sighed quietly so neither could hear him before saying, "Sol Terrano Desert.  I'm going to see if I can get that flower today to be back in Selphia sooner rather than later."

Carmen frowned, something that didn't go unnoticed by Dylas, while Carlos' expression didn't change.  "That's great, bro!  You got someone waiting for you back home?"

Dylas' mind quickly flashed to his friends, but he shook his head.  "Only a few friends."

Carmen brightened, though Dylas had no way of knowing why.  Unless... He pushed that thought down, he wouldn't be in town for more than a two days.  There wasn't time for that kind of thinking.

Carlos waved.  "We'll let you be on you way then!  Just don't forget to visit the resort before you go!"

Dylas nodded absently, his mind somewhere else as he walked away.

-x-

It was five o'clock at night by the time Dylas returned from the desert, tired and covered in sand, but nonetheless triumphantly holding a yellow cactus flower.  While searching for it, he'd unwittingly found the univir settlement and Zaid had been more than willing to help Dylas.  Dylas had been, once again, reminded that not all dwarves were like Bado.

There was still time before the day was well and truly over, so he decided to stop by the restaurant.  He already knew of Sherman's existence, having lived with his cousin for a few years.  Still, that had in no way prepared Dylas for Sherman's odd speaking habits.

"This food is absolutely horrendous!  I don't want anymore!" the man yelled, getting a nod from the chef who began to make another dish.

Dylas wasn't exactly sure what urged him to do so, but he sat down next to the Sherman.  "I'm Dylas, I've been living with you cousin Porcoline."

"Oh yes, Porco hasn't told me anything about.  So, what _don't_ you like to do?"

Dylas found the speech habits of this man confusing, but he tried to keep up.  "I find fishing enjoyable, and back home, I'm the waiter at Porcoline's restaurant."

Sherman laughed, "I _didn't_ already knew that."

The restaurant's door opened, signaling the arrival of more people, but Dylas didn't bother to look.  "How often do you see Porcoline, Sherman?  I've never noticed you in town or seen Porcoline come here."

" _Always_!  We _never_ write letters to each other.  You see, I _dislike_ my cousin very much," Sherman laughed again.

Dylas nodded, his head spinning.  Keeping up with Sherman's way of talking was..confusing.  He checked the time.  "I think it's time I turn in, the airship leaves tomorrow afternoon, and with one thing still left to do, I don't want to be late."

Sherman smiled.  "Well, _horrible_ luck to you on your journey!  Send my _worst_ regards to Porcoline."

"Will do, Sherman."

-x-

Dylas woke up bright and early the next day.  He still had to pack, but beforehand, he wanted to visit the fishing resort Carlos and Carmen seemed to be so proud of.

He grabbed his fishing gear, hoping to catch Carmen before she went off somewhere.  To his disappointment, it was Carlos who stood behind the counter.  "Hey, dude!  Here for the resort, I presume?"

Dylas nodded, "Only for an hour or two though.  Still have to pack."

Carlos nodded and told him the cost, which Dylas promptly handed over.  "Let me know if you catch the kingfish!  I've been trying to get him for years."

Dylas nodded absently and walked through the door to the resort.

He lost track of time, and it wasn't until Carlos yelled that it was twenty to three that Dylas realized the airship left in a little over an hour.  He packed up his fishing stuff and ran back to the inn...where he found Carmen waiting for him.

"Dylas!" she exclaimed, flushing.

"Hey, Carmen," he greeted her, "what are you doing here?"

She flushed more.  "Err... I was hoping to wish you a Merry Christmas and safe travels?" she said it as though it were a question.

Dylas nodded, "Merry Christmas to you, too."  He opened the door to his room and gestured for Carmen to follow.

He began packing, not really ignoring Carmen but he was in a hurry.  Hearing a soft sigh, he turned to look at her.  "Dylas," she began before stopping herself and thinking. "I came out here because I wanted to let you know, even though we met literally just two days ago, you seem like a nice person - especially since you like to fish - and if you were to being staying in town for longer I'd probably badger you into going on a date with me -" She stopped, a look of mortification on her face.  Dylas had stopped packing completely, his attention on her completely.

She turned and ran.

Catching up to her easily, he caught her by the arm.  "Hey, don't run.  And just so you know, there would have been no badgering involved.  I'd have said yes the second you asked."

She beamed, then seemed to notice what hung the ceiling above them.  Gesturing upwards, her face heated up.

A bough of mistletoe hung over the doorway, and Dylas looked at Carmen.  She was flushed bright red, a mortified expression upon her face.  "Shall we?" Dylas asked quietly.

Carmen flushed even more but nodded, before Dylas closed the distance between them with a chaste kiss.  When he pulled back, she had a faxed look on her face.

They stood in silence a few seconds before Carmen spoke.  "But you're still going back to Selphia."

Dylas nodded, thinking.  It was too late to cancel his trip and too late for Carmen to get a ticket - if she'd even want to come - but...  "How do you feel about visiting Selphia?" he asked.

She looked confused.  "I can't buy a ticket this late."

"So buy one and come down in a few days.  You can spend New Years in Selphia."

Carmen worried her bottom lip, contemplated that.  "Alright.  But next year," she pointed a finger at Dylas, "we're spending Christmas and New Years in Sharance."

Dylas nodded before something occurred to him.  He hurried back to his room, quickly writing down Porcoline's address down on a spare sheet of paper.  "This is where I live.  Write me, okay?"

She nodded, smiling.  "Once I get to Selphia, I'm gonna everyone there what a real fisher is."

He smiled, the first one Carmen had seen.  "I'm pretty good at that too, you know.  And Frey could probably give you a run for your money."

Carmen made an indignant noise.  "Nobody beats the Great Carmen at fishing!"

Dylas laughed, before saying, "I really do have to go now, but I'll see you in a few days."  He pressed a kiss to her cheek before turning and walking away.  When he glance back, she was watching him go, clutching the paper with his address, a big smile on her face.

(Later, when Carmen finally arrived in Selphia, she immediately challenged Frey and Dylas to fish off.  Unsurprisingly, Carmen won.

Dylas made sure to tell Porcoline what Sherman had said, who replied with a hearty laugh.

After meeting Doug, Carmen teased Dylas about it for several hours.  She'd been easily able to see that the two were actually great friends.   After meeting Porcoline, she commented how much he reminded her of Sherman, which Dylas reminder her that they were related.  She didn't know what to make of Arthur and his fondness for glasses, but she quickly became friends with Margaret.

All in all, when the clock struck midnight on New Years Eve, Dylas was able to say it had been a good year indeed.)

**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](http://ghirahim.ga/)


End file.
